Of the various Taurus species on Ymir, the Taurus Domesticis is the only domesticated species so far, a fact made even more impressive by the fact the animals initially domesticated themselves. Nowadays, they are trained as beasts of burden by Homesteaders, replacing the need for oxen and draft horses.
Initially, the Homesteaders ignored the varying Taurus herds near their lands. They held cattle in plains and chased off any predators that came near these areas. Then, in YY 14, a Homesteader discovered a Taurus herd had joined their cattle. The Science Department investigated and came to the conclusion that the species could be domesticated.
Since then, various Homesteaders have started protecting and training Taurus herds. While they do not use them for meat, except for after natural deaths, they do employ them for labour. While unsuited for riding, a Taurus Domesticis can be easily trained to pull or carry large loads. Many Homesteaders employ them when transporting cut trees, which they are more suited for than horses due to being less easily spooked.
Research
The Science Department has performed experiments to analyse the various Taurus species, including autopsies on deceased specimen. They have concluded that despite none of the species being aggressive towards humans, only the Taurus Domesticis shows a strong domesticatable tendency. Intelligence-wise, they rank comparable to horses.
As for why the initial Taurus herd joined the cattle, the main theory is simply that it was a safe environment. With the Homesteaders protecting their cattle and chasing off predators, they created a safe area where the herd could live with less concern about being hunted. By joining the cattle directly, their strength in numbers added extra safety.
It's a fun article Michael. Where do I apply for security clearance to see beyond the black out blocks? Master of tooltips is at work again ;)
I haven't fully designed the Security Clearance system yet, but Security Clearance 2 probably requires being at least a Major. (And I'm not intending to actually write that info. =P I imagine that if I ever lift security clearances on an article, it will receive a second version instead.)
Too low they build who build beneath the stars - Edward Young